52 Buttons Blog

Last month, I visited Hong Kong for the first time. We were only there for three days but we had a wonderful time exploring the city and eating way too many dim sum! One of my favourite places was the PMQ centre. The complex is located at the junction of Aberdeen Street and Hollywood Road in central. Walking up the steep hill on Aberdeen street, its not until you arrive at the entrance that you notice the buildings, tucked away amongst the city high rises. It gives the feeling of entering an oasis of calm, away from the busyness of the city that surrounds it on all sides.

PMQ in Central, Hong Kong

The PMQ site has an unusual history. From 1889, it was a public school, the first in Hong Kong. After World Ward 2, the site was rebuilt to house the Police Marriage Quarters, hence the name PMQ. Then in 2010 it was reopened as a creative centre.

The complex is made up of two seven storey buildings that are joined by a garden/walkway in the centre. Its jam packed with a variety of design and fashion stores and studios from both local and international designers, as well as a few cafes and pop up stores.

One of my favourite shops that I visited at PMQ was Coney & Co. They sell unique handmade jewellery with a vintage feel. While I was there, I bought a delicate pair of flower earrings with coral coloured beads. I love their simple and elegant design and I've got quite a few compliments when I've worn them. They're very light and comfortable to wear and came in a cute mint-coloured felt jewellery bag. The store itself has a lovely cosy atmosphere. It felt a bit like being transported in time to a 19th century house with the jewellery displayed in antique cabinets. I definitely want to come back to this store!

Another shop I really loved was Blck Sheep Empire. I bought two pairs of super cute shoes there. Having a slight obsession with pandas (actually kind of a big obsession..), I had no choice but to get these panda shoes! They're really fun to wear and a little bit whimsical too. I also bought a red and mint-green pair with floral print. They're actually covered in upholstery fabric which I think works really well as a shoe covering. I like the little gold metallic detail on the heels too!

The shoes I bought from Blck Sheep Empire

While I was there, I had a nice time chatting to the designers and creators of the brand, Jen Webb and her partner Jac C. Jen is from Australia and studied graphic design like me. I think it takes a lot of skill, passion and determination to run your own business so I find it really inspiring to see young designers like Jen and Jac C getting their work out into the world. It makes wearing these shoes all the more special!